Copper Lake
Cook County, Minnesota37 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Copper Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 52 ft max depth
- Limited data
Copper Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 37.16 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 1989 caught 1.75 northern pike per gill net at Copper Lake. DNR survey details →
Copper Lake is a 37-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 52 feet. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-08-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Copper Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water52 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Copper Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Copper Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Copper Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Copper Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 1989 caught 1.75 northern pike per gill net at Copper Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Copper Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1989-07-17 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1989-07-17 (Standard Survey)
37 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 1.75 | 1.71 lb | |
| White Sucker | 0.75 | 0.17 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
From the 1989-07-17 survey
A FEW NORTHERN PIKE ARE PRESENT, BUT NO LARGE FISH WERE SAMPLED. THERE APPEARS TO BE A RELA- TIVELY STRONG 1986 YEAR CLASS, BUT SEVERAL OTHERS ARE WEAK OR MISSING. GROWTH IS FAST BY COOK COUNTY STANDARDS.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Copper Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CopperFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
52 ft
Surface area
37 acres
Shoreline
2.5 mi
Littoral zone
65%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,768 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Copper Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Copper Lake in Cook County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Copper Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Copper Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Copper Lake
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Copper Lake
Where is Copper Lake?
- Copper Lake is a lake in Cook County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Copper Lake?
- Copper Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 37.16 acres.
Is Copper Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Copper Lake?
- Copper Lake has a maximum depth of 52 feet. The lake covers 37.16 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Copper Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 1989 caught 1.75 northern pike per gill net at Copper Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Copper Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Copper Lake?
- Public access to Copper Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Copper Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cook County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA1 sample · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder